Business/Accounting software

[Big Mike]

So what do you use and/or recommend?

Quickbooks seems to be a popular choice...which version would you recommend?

Besides basic business accounting...what about making forms like receipts etc?

[picturecrazy]

I just use MS Excel.

pretty informal, but I keep everthing in check on excel, I built my invoices on excel so it'll calculate totals and tax and all that stuff automatically. make letterheads in MS word. If you can program macros, then it can pretty much do almost anything you want.

[nikonthree]

QuickBooks Pro 2007 for Mac - purely because I use a Mac.

Other local photographers use the same around here ;)

[mizuno]

MYOB for us.

[NZDoug]

MYOB has gst. MYOB Edge is the Mac version.

[notapro]

I just use MS Excel.

pretty informal, but I keep everthing in check on excel, I built my invoices on excel so it'll calculate totals and tax and all that stuff automatically. make letterheads in MS word. If you can program macros, then it can pretty much do almost anything you want.

Me too - I use excel for everything for my business and my husband's. Ledger, expense tracker, invoices, receipts, customer database... all done with excel. Come tax time, it's just a matter of plugging numbers into QuickTax - everything is set up to keep running track throughout the year. Like Lloyd said, you do have to have a bit spreadsheet know-how, but then you can really customize it to do what you need it to do.

P.S. Lloyd... why do letterheads in MS Word? You can quite easily create a sheet to generate invoices with your letterhead in excel.

[picturecrazy]

P.S. Lloyd... why do letterheads in MS Word? You can quite easily create a sheet to generate invoices with your letterhead in excel.

oh, it's just a letterhead. My invoices also have my logo and crap on it too. I almost never use letterhead anyways. I try to run as paper-free as humanly possible. I don't even have any brochures or price lists to hand out.

[notapro]

oh, it's just a letterhead. My invoices also have my logo and crap on it too. I almost never use letterhead anyways. I try to run as paper-free as humanly possible. I don't even have any brochures or price lists to hand out.

ah.. i misunderstood. I try to be paperless too. PDFs are just as good as printed materials and people will likely keep them longer. I have to admit, though, that when it comes to book-keeping, I keep printed copies of everything.

[tim]

I use www.xero.com for my accounting. It costs me NZ$600/year, which is way better than the $3K I spent last year on my accountant. I still have an accountant to help me when I need it, they set me up on Xero. I considered MYOB and i'm still vaguely thinking about it, just because it's a one off cost rather than a subscription. Xero works though, and i'd have to learn something else if I got rid of it.

[Rubi Jane]

I use MoneyWorks Express (http://www.cognito.co.nz/) on my Mac. When I was looking for software earlier this year there was no software product for a Mac that supported GST & PST except MoneyWorks from New Zealand.

Sicne you're in God's Country (Alberta) PST isn't an issue. I don't know the OS you're using but assuming PC I'd likely use Quick Books. MYOB isn't in Canada anymore since Quicken purchased and discontinued the software from what I understand.

[jptsr1]

So what do you use and/or recommend?

Quickbooks seems to be a popular choice...which version would you recommend?

Besides basic business accounting...what about making forms like receipts etc?

go to http://quickbooks.intuit.com/product/accounting-software/free-accounting-software.jhtml?page=financial and you can try quickbooks for free. if you don't like it, no harm you can move on to something else.

J.

[2319]

Quickbooks here. Its just too simple and straightforward. Plus, it creates professional invoices and keeps track of everything you could imagine.

[EOS mE]

Quickbooks here. Its just too simple and straightforward. Plus, it creates professional invoices and keeps track of everything you could imagine.

quickbooks is soo hard to setup! I tried to set it up and wasted 2hrs and ended up no where.. so I just gave up.

i been thinking about using quicken business, but doesn't seem like anyone here is recommending that?? any reasons?

[notapro]

I just got a Quickbooks for free when I opened my business account at the bank, so I'm going to give it a shot. I was about to say "no thanks, I don't need it" then I remembered this thread and thought maybe I'd give it a try at least. And it's free, so hey.. why not?

[cosworth]

Simply Accounting. It's been around forever and it the gold standard with CGAs. They are trained with it and Accpac as well. Can't go wrong since you can buy it in London Drugs anywhere in Alberta.

[jptsr1]

I just got a Quickbooks for free when I opened my business account at the bank, so I'm going to give it a shot. I was about to say "no thanks, I don't need it" then I remembered this thread and thought maybe I'd give it a try at least. And it's free, so hey.. why not?

(uses hypnotic voice)....yeeeeeeeesss.....yeeeeeeeesssss......eve ryone use quickbooks.

J.

[EOS mE]

which version of the quickbook do you guys use? I tried the premier edition and that ended up confusing me like hell!

[EOS mE]

Simply Accounting. It's been around forever and it the gold standard with CGAs. They are trained with it and Accpac as well. Can't go wrong since you can buy it in London Drugs anywhere in Alberta.

Jason, is this the one you are refering to: Simply Accounting (http://www.simplyaccounting.com/)

[jptsr1]

if you use quickbooks you will get 2 inches taller and immediately become more beautiful.

intuit (maker of quickbooks) has a contest going on their site right now. if you submit a business idea and they pick it they give you 50k and office support to get it started. http://jumpup.intuit.com/start/

(uses hypnotic voice again) yoooooooou will use quiiiiiikbooooooks nooooooooowwwwww.

J.

[EOS mE]

if you use quickbooks you will get 2 inches taller and immediately become more beautiful.

intuit (maker of quickbooks) has a contest going on their site right now. if you submit a business idea and they pick it they give you 50k and office support to get it started. http://jumpup.intuit.com/start/

(uses hypnotic voice again) yoooooooou will use quiiiiiikbooooooks nooooooooowwwwww.

J.


J, do you use the simple start version? does it help you to do invoices and consolidate all the income and expenses comes tax time?

[jptsr1]

J, do you use the simple start version? does it help you to do invoices and consolidate all the income and expenses comes tax time?

boss, i have to apologize. my wife is a product manager at intuit so i was kind of joking with the "get quickbooks" thing. that said, it is one of her products and we have it on every computer in the house. if you have any questions about it id be happy to get you the answer from her. i only use it to manage my accounts so i don't want to mislead you that I've got a bunch of experience with it.

J.

[EOS mE]

boss, i have to apologize. my wife is a product manager at intuit so i was kind of joking with the "get quickbooks" thing. that said, it is one of her products and we have it on every computer in the house. if you have any questions about it id be happy to get you the answer from her. i only use it to manage my accounts so i don't want to mislead you that I've got a bunch of experience with it.

J.

DOH! anyway I followed the link you gave me and now downloading the simple start 2008. i'll ask you for help if i have more problems ;)

[jptsr1]

DOH! anyway I followed the link you gave me and now downloading the simple start 2008. i'll ask you for help if i have more problems ;)

no problem.

J.

[notapro]

if you use quickbooks you will get 2 inches taller and immediately become more beautiful.

intuit (maker of quickbooks) has a contest going on their site right now. if you submit a business idea and they pick it they give you 50k and office support to get it started. http://jumpup.intuit.com/start/

(uses hypnotic voice again) yoooooooou will use quiiiiiikbooooooks nooooooooowwwwww.

J.

This was another factor that made me decide to go with it. I use QuickTax, and my understanding is that it can import everything from QuickBooks. Is that correct? I LOVE QuickTax. I've been using the business unincorporated version for two years and it is great. My mom also uses it and one year she thought she'd take her taxes to an accountant as well to see if they could reduce their payment. The accountant didn't have any 'tricks' that QuickTax hadn't already given her. Great product. I hope Quickbooks will be just as good.

[EnronRocks]

(oh man I just NECRO posted.)

I found a cool and FREE on line Billing Management System, its called phpBMS (www.phpbms.org) basically it installed on your web server where you have your website hosted and you can do all of that good stuff on line. So it can be accessed from anywhere with a internet connection. I have read some good reviews about it, and its really easy to install.

If you want to use it and need help installing it PM me, I would be more than happy to help you with the install.

[Becki_D]

I attended a PPA workshop on Studio Management in Atlanta. Accounting, price modeling, marketing were all discussed. When my business merits the expense I will be going with SuccessWare (http://successware.net/index.html). It's specifically designed for studio management. It's definitely not cheap, but after I see my accountant's bill, I might consider it. You can opt to lease or license it.

[cosworth]

boss, i have to apologize. my wife is a product manager at intuit .....

I have to confess as well. I'm a Regional Manager for Sage Software - makers of Simply Accounting.

Since he's in Canada the bias does fall to Simply. It's written for Canada. Not a modified American version.

But what it comes down to is what he wants to spend and what he wants to interface with his bank, financials etc.

[ggibbs1971]

I use Peachtree, a product of sage software. I have managed to update every other year for free. There is always a store offering the new version with a full rebate. Havenot been burned yet.